Annual Chef Culinary Conference at UMass Amherst Focuses on the Best in Campus Dining
June 14, 2013
Contact:
Daniel J. Fitzgibbons
Contact Phone:
413/545-0444
*** MEDIA ADVISORY ***
DATE: Sunday, June 16 to Friday, June 21
WHERE: Lincoln Campus Center and Berkshire Dining Commons
More than 250 chefs, managers and suppliers from across the nation come together for the 19th annual Tastes of the World Chef Culinary Conference hosted by Dining Services at UMass Amherst. Joining them are celebrity chefs Robert Irvine and Jet Tila.The theme for this year is “Flavor, Culture, Healthfulness: The Future of College Dining Menus.”
There will be presentations, demonstrations and hands-on sessions during a fun but educational week, says Ken Toong, executive director of Auxiliary Enterprises at UMass Amherst.
The week concludes with the American Culinary Federation Sanctioned Team CulinaryCompetitionon Friday, June 21 from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Berkshire Dining Commons. Seventeen teams of four will vie in the hot food competition. Each team will be given a mystery basket of products with which they will have three hours to prepare 10 servings. An awards ceremony follows at 2 p.m.
“We are at the critical time for food service operators in this $630 billion industry,” says Toong. “Customers are spending over 50 percent of their food dollars eating outside the home. Our customers want foods that are full of flavors and are good for them while embracing environmental responsibility. Our millennial diners are expecting us to be more socially responsible and provide healthy cuisine. In many ways, college university food service segments are leading the way to make this happen.”
For schedule and conference information, visit www.chefculinaryconference.com/2013/.
